YALE UNIVERSITY BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPTS

YALE UNIVERSITY
BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
GENERAL COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS
MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPTS

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Marston MS 225     Southern Germany [?], s. XIV 2/4
Vaticinia Pontificum, etc.

1.  Inside front wrapper:  Libri huius principium sibillina continet dicta que 
nostre fidei consona sunt atque communia configuere autem ymaginum xv.  
papista appellantur. Ostendunt namque quodam occulto lii. vaticinio quis papa 
sequitur alterum in dignitate ac qualis fuerit moribus nec non quibus 
occupabitur rebus quod per adiectas significatur figuras De iii. post 
ymaginum sculpturas earundem sub verborum misterio verbis quoque inusitatis 
atque profundis prefatum exprimit ymaginum significacionem.

2.  ff. 1r-14v De imperatore. Incipit sibillarius quem fecit Sibilla filia
manasses Regis quando in monte aventino ducta fuit...Post hec dominus de celo
ueniet ad iudicandum seculum per ignem quod nullus scit hanc horam nec dies nec
annos eius et sic erit iudicij signum.

A version of the Tiburtine Oracle with special reference to the history
of Sicily. A comparison of the text in Marston 225 with the critical
edition by E. Sackur, Sibyllinische Texte und Forschungen (Halle, 1898)
pp. 177-87, shows extensive differences.

3.  ff. 15r-22r  Ps.-Joachim da Fiore, Vaticinia Pontificum:
for information on these 15 visions see H. Grundmann, "Die Papstprophetien
des Mittelalters," Archiv fuer Kulturgeschichte 19 (1928) pp. 77-138;
M. H. Fleming, "Metaphors of Apocalypse and Revolution in some
Fourteenth-Century Popular Prophecies,"
Acta 7 (1980) pp. 131-45; B. McGinn, "'Pastor Angelicus': Apocalyptic
Myth and Political Hope in the Fourteenth Century," Santi e Santita nel
secolo XIV: Fifteenth International Conference (Assisi, 1987), Edizioni
scientifiche italiane, pp. 221-51; R. E. Lerner, "On the Origins of the Earliest
Latin Pope Prophecies:  A Reconsideration,"  Faelschungen im
Mittelalter,
Teil V (Hannover, 1988) pp. 611-35 (Marston MS 225 = Y; pls. III and VII of
ff. 15r, 19v).  M. H. Fleming is preparing a critical edition of the text
(we thank her for her assistance with this manuscript).

For each prophecy we describe the miniature that accompanies it.

[1.] f. 15r: Seuus nequam ursus catulos pascens et in quinque romam 
sceptris turbatis...ad quos ad pusillos quomodo eructabis bonum ciuitati.

[Pope Nicholas III, 1277-80, standing holding a book, flanked by two brown
dogs begging, while a third leaps over his head.] 

[2.] f. 15v: Secundus est fera aliis uolans serpens ad meridiem...tuarum gentium
dabis in tempore meti.

[Pope Martin IV (1281-85) standing holding a pennant and a book; on the left,
a kneeling figure, and on the right, a palm (?) tree with two ravens on top.]

[3.] f. 16r:  Suplicum tercium et enim auis eques ancifera auis et eques corniger
sicut multum uelox sicut promptus...in te principatum et finis eorum est.

[Pope Honorius IV (1285-87) seated on a throne with a boy on the left at his knees,
an eagle perched on his crown and a unicorn resting his front legs on the Pope's
right shoulder.] 

[4.] f. 16v: Iste collus quartus ab ursa carens gladijs et homo monens
incisionem...in quo letare multum frustra.

[Three columns, the first with the head of a pope, the central one with a
tonsured head, and the last with a hand bearing a scythe: prophecy of
Pope Nicholas IV (1288-92)]  

[5.] f. 17r:  Uide iterum alienum existentis modum falcem magnam et rosam...in mundo
viuens senex uade in infernum duabus tribulationibus in medio.

[Pope Celestine V (1294) in Franciscan (?) habit, holding a scythe and a flower,
with the torso of an angel in the sky at the right.] 

[6.] f. 17v:  Uac [sic] aut quartum et filijs urse pascentis [space:
figura added
in margin] manifestat...sublinaberis a gloria et mortuus relinques potentissime
potencias.

[Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) standing with bull fawning at his feet;
two disembodied heads floating in the air on either side.]  

[7.] f. 18r:  Alia ursa secunda pascens catulos...coronas manifestant diuisiones
tocius potentie.

[Pope standing with, at his feet, a bear that is nursing two bear
cubs.]

[8.] f. 18v:  Heu misera sustine passiones ciuitatis miserabilis...adulter iniustus
sodomita uidebunt ultimum lumen ante oculos.

[A fortified town with gates closed.] 

[9.] f. 19r:  Uulpinam figurasti amititiam pacienter...graciose et brauium [?] accepisti
infigere [?] sceptri.

[Pope standing and watching a bounding dog with three pennants emerging from
its back.]

[10.] f. 19v: Ue tibi ciuitas septicollis littera laudabiliter in mentibus tuis...in
barba profunda iuste intuet et maxime uituperaberis.

[A fortified town to the left of which three disembodied hands appear.]

[11.] f. 20r:  Et reuelabitur uirtus qualiter pro nomen me [for nomine; marginal
addition illegible] petram habitans...uade in inferiora terre. 

[A semi-nude figure sitting on a green mound confronted by a standing
figure in a robe on the right.]

[12.] f. 20v:  Mortuus nunc et oblitus aspectibus nouerunt...Idem habebit
septicollis imperium.

[Pope standing holding his mitra and a book over a pack of wolves or
leaping dogs.]

[13.] f. 21r:  Ecce idem homo de primo genere abscondito...dupplicatorum annorum
introit mortuus petram.

[Pope crowned by an angel.]

[14.] f. 21v:  Recipe donum ne pigriteris senex se recipiens
potentissime...ambula celeste enim in te principium bonorum et finis.

[Pope seated on a dais flanked by two angels supporting a green cloth of
honor behind him.]

[15.] f. 22r:  Iona uita inuenisti ab iuge...ire priuaberis a sorde de super.
f. 22v blank

[A haloed Pope holding his mitre and a book.]

4. ff. 23r-43r  Twenty-six short prophecies, without illumination.  

[1.]  ff. 23r-28r De laudato paupere et electo imperatore...praenomen monachim 
tria tercia eximius a foramine. 

Latin version of the Greek "Anonymous Paraphrase of the Leo
Oracles" also known as the "Cento of the True Emperor." Greek 
text in PG 107.1141-50. According to M. H. Fleming (personal correspondence)
the Latin version in Marston MS 225 is the earliest version in Latin and predates
any surviving version in Greek. 

[2.]  f. 28v Post omnium malorum principium feram sine membris
utilibus...perflans imperator apparuit et cetera.

According to Lerner, op. cit., p.630, note 44, this text is a letter
of Arnold of Villanova addressed to a Lady Bartolomea which draws upon,
or refers to, the Horoscopus.

[3.]  ff. 28v-29r Uolavit auis inmunda...grande uelamen obruet iterum uero
talem qui semper ultra procedere tractabit.

[4.]  f. 29r Gallina fallocinis [?] uestem induet sub qua silebit...ita
quod absque duce mundus durabit et perseuerabit per annum et amnich [?] et
dimidium anni.

[5.]  ff. 29v-30r Post hec conuenient discordantes in ciuitate magni
pauidis...Quare tamen erit angusta medietas. et cetera.

[6.]  ff. 30r-31r Uir medius non perfectus residebit in solio...Exibunt de
limo spendorem [sic] reddent potentissime.

[7.]  f. 31r Uirgo ornata uirtutibus sine macula predicabit in
mundo...uelum sine splendore non erit.

[8.]  ff. 31r-32r Heu, heu omnis christicole dicere poterunt et cetera. 
Ciuitas super ciuitatem...Et sic impius impie terminabit quia iniqum
[sic] se
monstrabit in solio.

[9.]  f. 32r Inique non poteris extendere super terram...ueneno remota cum
difficultate et cetera.

[10.]  ff. 32r-35r Letatus sum in hijs que dicta sunt michi et cetera. 
Post tribulacioni longinquam et cetera Pastor egregius...plurimi
concurrendo ad eius miracula sepulture.

[11.]  f. 35r-v Idem consimili racione diuine non calliditate 
humana...in montem syon animam reddet angelis in altari. 

[12.]  f. 35v Et erit post sexaginta annos uisitabit dominus...Tu
exspiraberis in V.

[13.]  ff. 35v-36r Ecce dominus dissipabit terram et undabit eam...tu
requiesce iam.

[14.]  f. 36r Te qui cogitatis inutile et opera...morte subita morieris
in F.

[15.]  f. 36r Stulte egisti propter hoc...uteris et morieris in P.

[16.]  f. 36r-v Quia ambulasti in uijs symonis magi...tu fascinatus
morieris in R.

[17.]  f. 36v Luxit et defluxit terra...ex insperato sceptra tenebit.

[18.]  ff. 36v-37r In sapientia tua et prudentia fecisti...et interficient
et destruent te.  et morieris in A.

[19.]  f. 37r Recipe donum desuper ne pigriteris senex...ad mercedem eorum
qua operati sunt.

[20.]  ff. 37r-40r Puluis carbonum ante faciem petri...et pastorum ad caulas
fidei redidisse.

[21.]  f. 40r Gallorum leuitas germanos iustificabit...sub quo tunc uana 
cessabit gloria cleri.

O. Holder-Egger, ed., "Italienische Prophetien des 13. Jahrhunderts," Neues
Archiv der Gesellschaft fuer aeltere deutsche Geschichtskunde 33
(1907-8) pp. 125-26.

[22.]  f. 40r Anno m#o ccc#o decembis. [sic] vij. dabit ether...greco
testante perito.

[23.]  ff. 40v-42r Uniuersis et singulis ad quos littere iste peruenerint...et
uobis que prediximus que periculosa uidemus ualere. 

Letter of Magister Johannes de Davidis Toletanus, known to be circulating
in this form no earlier than 1322, with marginal gloss "1349" on f. 40v.

[24.]  f. 42r In nomine domini amen.  Anno Domini M. ccc. septimo viceno. 
Mense sexto.  Regnante profunda scientia.  Petra patietur...et una fides
et omnes gentes obedient ei.

[25.]  f. 42v Uolabit aquila ad fontem uinum et de aqua potabit...Heu, heu
contraria.  F. V. R.

[26.]  ff. 42v-43r Et erunt iterum pulli tenentes imperium...sedes eius
modicum tempus erit.

5. ff. 43v-44v Anno domini Millesimo CCC xl vi.  Facta est quedam visio in 
Claustro.  Cisterciensis ordinis.  Quidam Monachus celebrabat missam et inter 
absolucionem et communionem...in tanta tranquillitate noua audientur de 
antichristo.  Vigilate Ergo.  

A revision of the "Tripoli" prophecy, added by a late fifteenth- or early 
sixteenth-century hand, here recorded as a vision in a Cistercian monastery 
in 1346; J. Leclercq, ed., 1961, pp. 166-69 (edited from this manuscript).
For the history of the Tripoli prophecy see R. E. Lerner, The Powers of
Prophecy (Berkeley, 1983).

Parchment, ff. 44 (ff. 45-46, stubs only), 179 x 121 (115 x 70) mm.  
23 long lines.  Single (and
occasionally double upper) horizontal and vertical bounding lines, ruled
in brown ink.  Guide lines for text in hard point or faintly in lead? 
Prominent prickings in upper, lower and outer margins.
I-III 10, IV 8, V 8 (-7, 8, stubs only remain).  Catchwords, with dot
on either side, center of lower edge, verso.
Arts. 2-4 written in neat gothic bookhand by a single scribe.  Art. 1 in a less formal
bookhand and art. 5 in a notarial hand with various flourishes. Two annotators
have added in the margins words omitted from the text (blank spaces in text
remain); the first annotator (ff. 1r-10v) appears to be the scribe of the text
whereas the second annotator (beginning on f. 11r) writes in a different,
yet contemporary, hand.
15 small miniatures, 12-line, within narrow ochre frames inserted into
text column, one for each prophecy in art. 3, ff. 15r-22r.  The miniatures
depict a cycle of Popes and cityscapes with emblematic attributes against
pink, blue and ochre grounds with small white filigree designs along the
edges.  For a description of each miniature see art. 3 above.  The
manuscript lacks the captions or mottoes often found in other versions and
it does not contain inscriptions identifying the Popes; in addition, the
artist depicts what are often bears in other manuscripts as dogs.  For the
illustrative tradition of these prophecies see L. von Wilckens, "Die
Prophetien ueber die Paepste in deutschen Handschriften," Wiener Jahrbuch
fuer Kunstgeschichte 28 (1975) pp. 171-80.  According to G. Schmidt (Exhibition
Catalogue, p. 207) the style of miniatures can be compared to South
German illuminations of the second quarter of the 14th century and
anticipates the style of later German World Chronicles such as Fulda,
Landesbibliothek Cod. Aa 88 (see H. Jerchel, Zeitschrift fuer
Kunstgeschichte, N. F. 2 [1933] pp. 389-90, figs. 15 and 16) and Munich,
Staatsbibliothek Cgm. 11 (see idem, "Die bayerische Buchmalerei des
14. Jahrhunderts," Muenchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst, N. F. 10 [1933]
pp. 83-84, figs. 16 and 17).  Numerous flourished initials, 2-line,
alternate in red and blue with purple or red penwork designs.  Headings in
red.  Paragraph marks alternate red and blue.
Binding:  Place uncertain, s. xv [?].  Tacketed through a limp vellum
(palimpsest?) wrapper to thick leather pads with a basket weave around the
sewing threads.  Contemporary title in ink, on front:  "De imperatore." 
Backs of quires cut in for sewing. 

Written in Southern Germany in the second quarter of the 14th century to
judge from the style of illumination and the dates mentioned in the text
(Exhibition Catalogue, no. 33, pp. 206-8). On the basis of the
internal evidence, however, M. H. Fleming (study in progress) suggests a date
between 1327/8 and 1334 during the pontificate of John XXII and an origin in Avignon. 
It may have been associated with or located near the Cistercian monastery of
Himmerod in the diocese of Trier when the vision dated 1346 (art. 5) was
added (Leclerq, 1961, pp. 166-69).  Inscriptions, s. xv/xvi, of Ernst Pfalzgraf
bey Rheyn on remains of f. 45v (back stub) and inside back wrapper.  Two erased
inscriptions, partially visible under ultra-violet light; inside front wrapper:
"Norberti" and lower margin, f. 1r:  "Michael."  From the
collection of Franz Trau; his sale by Gilhofer and Ranschburg in Vienna,
27-28 October 1905, no. 15, with illustration of f. 22r in pl. XII.
Included in the 50th anniversary catalogue of Ludwig Rosenthal's Antiquariat
in Munich, issued in 1909 (Cat. 130, no. 133, with illustration of the 
miniature on f. 15r between cat. nos 145-46).
Belonged to Baron F. Engel-Gros; his sale by Georges Petit in Paris, 2
June 1921, no. 1.  Ex libris of Andre Hachette (white paper booklabel
tipped in between wrapper and f. 1r: monogram "H A" with "Ex libris," both
in black, and "22" in red); his sale by Libraire Giraud-Badin in Paris, 16
December 1953, no. 37.  Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1959 by Thomas E.
Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  Uixit

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 90, no. 225.
    Exhibition Catalogue, no. 33, pp. 206-08, p. 14 of f. 16r.
M. Reeves, The Influence of Prophecy in the Later Middle Ages:  A
Study in Joachimism (Oxford, 1969) pp. 312 (n. 1), 324, 405, 523.
Idem, "Some Popular Prophecies from the Fourteenth to the Seventeenth
Centuries," Studies in Church History 8 (1971) p. 119.
A. C. de la Mare, Lyell Cat., p. 88.
M. H. Fleming, "Sibylla: De Imperatore," Ph. D. diss., Boston University, 1975.

Barbara A. Shailor